What Is Lip Tie in Babies?

Most infant lip ties are discovered if/when baby struggles to latch while nursing, but there are other signs, too.

Parents who breastfeed may notice that their breasts still feel engorged after feeding because their infant can't latch or suck properly. Unfortunately, engorgement can lead to blocked ducts and mastitis, which can be chronic when a baby cannot empty the breast of milk. Sometimes, bottle feeding can help alleviate symptoms, but parents should have their child evaluated if the lip tie prevents them from feeding.

Do Lip Ties Affect Language?

While some believe lip and tongue ties impact language, the truth is no one really knows for sure. Since articulation disorders and lip and tongue ties are common in children, it's not surprising to see them frequently co-occur. But correlation isn't the same as causation.

"This is a hot-button topic amongst speech-language pathologists," says Jessica Austin, MA, CCC-SLP speech-language pathologist at Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast, Maine. "There is evidence that a tongue tie (with or without a lip tie) can cause or contribute to feeding and swallowing issues, but there is no evidence that a tongue tie (with or without a lip tie) causes articulation or speech sound disorders."

Austin explains that speech sounds require little movement of the tongue tip. "You can try it out at home; /t/, /d/, and /n/ require that you touch the top of your tongue tip to the roof of your mouth," she says. "This can be done with very little movement of the tongue. /S/ and /z/ also require elevation of the tongue tip, but the elevation required is pretty minimal."

Diagnosis and Treatment of Lip Ties

If you've noticed latching, sucking, and feeding issues, especially if weight gain is slow, you should consult a pediatrician. They can refer you to a pediatric dentist for an oral exam. At the pediatric dentist, you will likely be asked how frequently your child feeds, if they spit up or choke while feeding, and what kinds of sounds your baby when suckling or swallowing, such as clicking.

Unfortunately, not all children will be properly diagnosed. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), lip ties often go undetected because most infant exams not include an examination of the upper lip or frenulum.